Fastening-inserting machine



Oct. 28, 1941. J. T. LANCASTER FASTENING-INSERTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 26, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 "semblies may be flexible.

Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES I FASTENING-INSERTING MACHINE John T. Lancaster, Newton, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N. J

Application October 26, 1939, Serial No. 301,454

24 Claims. (Cl. 1-32) My invention relates to machines for inserting fastenings in such work as shoes, it being of particular utility in connection with the attachment of heels.

In nailing heels to shoes, especially when the ,5

nails are driven from within a shoe, there is customarily employed a plurality of movable heel-engaging abutments, as one for the treadend of the heel and one for the rear of said heel. Itis important that the resistance of these a l) vabutments to displacement shall be correctly distributed and applied to ensure firm retention of the-heel upon the heel-seat of the shoe, and, further, that the combined resistance offered by these abutments shall be at least as great as the A5 thrust exerted by the nails as they are driven. To obtain this correct retentive effect is an object of my invention.

In the attainment of this" object, as a featureof the invention, I utilizeirnovable contact mem- :29

lbers for engagement with different heel-surfaces, as those at the tread-end and at the rear, and hydraulic pressure means having elements acting individually upon the members to effect their relative movement. This furnishes a simple and {4 flexible arrangement by which the pressure, and under some conditions movement, may be transmitted from one member to another. Thecontact members may consist of a heel-tread-abutment and a rear abutment, there being connected 0 to each of these a cylinder and, a piston with hydraulic means for transmitting pressure between the cylinders and pistons of the abutments, as through a connecting pipe or conduit. By

using. a non-compressble liquid as the trans- &5

mitting medium, a force created at one of the cylinder-piston-assemblies will impart a positive force to the other, and, by having pistons with different effective areas for the respective abutments, different forces may be applied to the hj work by said abutments. Th'ese'abutments are' best made variable in position to cause them to most effectively engage the work, and, to permit this, the hydraulic connection between the aswhich fastening-drivers are movable, a movable work-pressing head or carrier with a contact member or abutment movable upon it, and means, as a member operating under the power of the machine, for applying hydraulic pressure to the 2,6,5

Preferably, there is 2 drivers and contact member. Before the application of this final power-pressure, the head is locked or retained against movement. There are shown opposite members, which mayconsist of a cylinder and a piston, one having the drivers mounted upon it and the other being powervactuated, while a pipe or conduit joins the space between the members to the cylinder orcylinders 0f the pressure-head. I

Another feature of the invention may be found in the work-engaging member of one of the abutments herein shown, as that for the rear of'the heel. This engaging member is pivoted upon a support, and a spring is arranged to hold said member in its normal :position and to allow it to yield in opposite directions. As herein disclosed,

are included;

Fig. 2, an enlarged. broken side elevation of the pressure-head; I

Fig. 3, a top plan view of the head'with portions broken away;

Fig. 4, a front elevation of said head; and

Fig. 5, a top plan view of'the abutment for the rear of the heel.

The general machine illustratedherein maybe in manyparticulars that of Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,545,575, Standish,

July 14, 1925, and as to this, a frame-column ll! has rising from a projection at its front a post ll, carrying upon it a work-supporting jack 12 adapted to receive upon its top a shoe 8, to which a heel H is to be nailed. Inpassages in the, jacktop, drivers l4 are arrangedto bereciprocated by a plunger. I6 movable in the post and upon which they are mounted. The plunger receives power, in a manner to be later explained, from a crank-pin-l8 upon the forward extremity of a are associated. There may be a Work-support in d rear section of the shaft is driven, as from an. electric motor, through gearing 22, rotation behorizontal shaft 20 journaled in the column. A

ing communicated to the forward section 20 through clutch mechanism indicated at 24. Nails N, delivered to the jack pa'ssages upon the ends tion by a rod 3| ;of a heel positioned upon a jacked shoe.

5 'nut, such an angular adjustment may Theels'of 'difierent pitches.

of the drivers by loading mechanism L, are inserted, upon the elevation of said drivers by the mechanism'just indicated, through the heel-seat of the jacked shoe into the heel. Guided for vertical reciprocation'upon the column I0 is a pressure-head or carrier 26, the elements which it bears holding the heel upon the heel-seat to resist the nail-inserting force. The head is held normally raised by a spring 28 acting through a lever 30 and is lowered to its work-engaging posiis fulcrumed yieldably at 34. After this engage shifts to the rod 3|,

rises, and, through a link 38, causes the closure of the clutch 24. This revolves the crank-pin I8 to raise the drivers I4 forthe insertion of, same time,-the head His locked by interleaved clutch-plates 38 forced tog;

the nails. At the gether, as in the previously mentioned patent, by connections 40 actuated bya cam 42 fast upon the shaft 20. In the present instance, however, the lower set of plates is" not bodily movable, but is fixed-upon a bracket 44 secured to the column I0. Consequently, the clutch device serves to hold- Considering the details of my improved heel- '-engaging mechanism carried by the head 26, this head has formed at its opposite sides horizontal ways 50, 50 '(Fig; 4). In these'ways are movable a forward slide 52 anda 'rear slide 54 (Fig. 3) Rotatable atopposite sides of the top'of the head are horizontal rods 56 and 58. The rod 56 is -threaded through'alug 60 projecting upwardly and outwardly from the slide 52, while the oppojoining it to a treadle .32, which,

vated position by varying pitches depart from this normal inclination of the pad, the spring permits the yoke to yield, either up or down, for the most perfect contact with the rear heel-walls. To maintain the rear abutment against turning about the axis of the piston 86, there is an upward projection 98 from the rear of the arms 88, 88, this having an inner face moving over a flattened surface upon the outer wall of the cylinder 84. The abutment A is held normally in an elev v t the rear of the fork to the slide 54. ment has occurred, the fulcrum" of -th'e treadle the rear of said, treadle The cylinders I8 and 84 of the tread-abut- -ment and the rear abutment are hydraulically connected, so themovement of one compels a like but opposites movement of the other.

v Threaded into the top of the cylinder I0 and the head temporarilyagainst'movement.

fS -te rod 58 similarly engages a lug at one side of a boss 62 upon the slide 54. By rotating the rods,

facilitate theadjustments. Depending from the slide 52 is a bracket 66, upon which is pivoted at 68 a cylinder 18 having movable in it a piston 12. The lower extremity of the piston has at 74 a surface adapted 1 for contact with the tread-end The angle of the cylinder and piston may be varied by tilting them about the'pivot 68. This may be effected by a rod 18 linked tothe cylinder at I8 and passing through a lug 89 upon the bracket. Rotatable in the lug is a hand-nut 82, through which the rod I6 is threaded; By turning this be made that the piston 12 will be correctly alined with -With the slide 54, a vertical cylinder 84 is shown as formed, and in this cylinder a piston 88 is arranged toreciprocate, this piston furnishing abutment A for engagement with the rear of the heel. At thelower extremity-of the piston is a of the rear of theheels to be attached, is a depression, and over this depression a pad 94,

of some such yieldable material'as leather, is j attachedto prevent marring the heel-coverings.

j 'Ihe'yeke andits'pad are held in a normal posL *tion, so the surface of the pad approximates the a support for an 1 case, the areas of the'ends of The weight of the 'bly is borne upon'a helical spring upward movement of the piston into the boss'62, which has a vertical passage communicating with the cylinder 84, are nipples I82, I02, having means to clamp in place the opposite ends of an upwardly'curved sectionof flexible pipe I04, providing a conduit connecting the cylinders. A contained liquid, such as glycerin or oil, may thus fiow into and out of either cylinder. Assuming the space furnished by the cylinders and pipe to be otherwise closed, when the rearabutment is raised by its spring the tread-abutment will be lowered by the-pressure transmitted from the piston 86 by the liquid to the piston 72. Since the liquid is non-com"- pressible, the force thus applied will be positive. When the tread-abutment is raised, the rear abutment will, in a like manner by the hydraulic compensating connections, be positively lowered, the two accommodating themselves perfectly to varying heightsand forms of heels." It may be desired to apply greater pressure to the heel by one abutment than the other. This being the the pistons are made different. Usually, the piston of the rear abutment would have'the larger area,'holding the heel firmly against being forced back by "the horizontal component of the clamping force producedlby the-pitch. At the highest point of the pipe I04, a fittingqIUB is included, at the top 'ofwhichis an opening closed by a screw-plug I08. Through this opening liquid may be introduced to fill the connected spaces. To prevent the liquid from dripping from the cylinders,

the pistons are surrounded by the usual expansible rings I IIljand below these may be scavenging grooves IIZfrom which passages I.I4 lead into spaceswithin the'pistons. Screw-plugs I I8 close the spaces at the top, while at the bottom are screw-plugs II8 which, when removed, allow the accumulated liquid to be emptied from'the spaces;

The hydraulic" system is preferably utilized to more exactly obtain a final clamping pressure upon the heel, which will ensure retention against displacement of the work from the jack, by the lifting forcel'of the nails as they are driven. The

lower portion of the driver-plunger I6 is in the form'of a tubular piston I28, movable within'a cylinder I30 guided for reciprocation in' the post I I. The cylinder isjoined at its lower extremity I8 by a connecting rod I32.

to the crank-pin piston and the driver-assem I34 interposed cylinder. The under the inbetween it and the bottom of the a tension spring I88 joining heels 'in inclination, by a tension-spring 96 fiuence of the spring is limited by a screw I38, threaded through the cylinder-wall and having at its inner extremity contact with the bottom with their "0f a slot I38 surrounding the piston. This slot stretched between the arms of the supporting. 5v 1 piston an'd'p-assingthrough a'horizontal depresi usion atlthe rear of the yoke. As heels places a heel I-I tween the piston and cylinder. Into an opening in the wall of the cylinder, a nipple I40 is made,

and to this is clamped the lower extremity of a flexible pipe or conduit I42, the upper end of which communicates with a passage I44 formed in the slide 54 and opening into the cylinder 84 of the rear heel-abutment. There is thus a space'between the piston I28 and cylinder I30 and in the connections joined to the cylinders 84 and I and the pipe I04 to form therewith a common chamber, which is completely filled with the liquid already referred to. To permit the full. entry, of liquid into the chamber, the space-in the piston I28 is continued through the plunger I6 by a passage I46 and is normally closed by a screw-plug l48. When the liquid is introduced through the opening at I08, this. plug I48 is temporarily removed to vent the chamber. The usual rings I50 surrounding the piston I28 prevent leakage.

. With the pressure-head 26 elevated by the spring 28, the operator adjusts, if necessary, the horizontal relation of the tread-abutment I2, I4 and the rear abutment A by thehand-wheels '64 and the angle of the tread-abutment by the nut 82. He then applies a shoe S'to the jack I2, upon the heel-seat and depresses the treadle 32. This first, through the rod 3|, lowers the head until. the surface I4 engages the tread-end of the heel. Ths piston I2 yields, and through the connecting body of liquid the companion piston 86 is lowered against the supporting. force of the spring I00 until the pad 94c0ntacts with the rear of the heel and adjusts itself angularly by virtue of the yield of its spring'96. The twoabutments are now bearing upon the heel, though the force exerted by the rear pad will ex-, ceed that of the tread-surface I4 because of the greater area of the end of the piston 85. Fur ther depression of the treadle by the operator transfers its fulcrum from the pivot 34 to the connection with therod 3 I, raising the link 36 to trip the clutch 24. This causes the performance of a power-cycle of the machine. The head 23 is at once locked to the frame by the plates 38 clamped together by the cam 42, to hold upon the work treadle-created preliminary pressure of the rear and tread-abutments. Revolution of the crank-pin I8 elevates the cylinder I30. The non-compressible body of liquid between the cylinder and the piston I28 lifts the latter positively to insert the nails N, which have been previously delivered upon the drivers I4 bythe "loader L, through the heel-seat of the shoe into the heel; As the entrance of the nails into the work is resisted, the pressure created by the reaction is transmitted by the liquid through the pipe I42 and the connections to the abutment-cylinders I0 and ,84. The effective areas of the opposed surfaces of the piston I28 and the cylinder I30 are at least as great as the combined surfaces of the ends of the abutment-pistons 12 and 86. Consequently, there is applied to the work a final clamping pressure by which it is unfailingly held against being forced upwardly from the jack-top by the entering nails, and the heads of said nails will be fully seated in the insole. To whatever extent the work is compressed, the hydraulic pressure will also produce movement of the pistons I2' and 86, so their abutments will follow this compression. This causes relative movement between the piston I28 and the cylinder I30, which is permitted by the clearance between the cylinder-projection I38 and the wall of thepistom.

groove I38. At the termination of the. cycle, the crank-jpin I8 lowersthe cylinder I30, and therefore the drivers I4. The hydraulic pressure appliedthrough the pipe I42 to the rear and treadabutments is relieved to remove the clamping pressure. The cam 42 releases the plates 38, so the spring 28 lifts the head 26 to the normal position. The'spring I00 raises the rear abutment A and hydraulic pressure transmitted throughthe pipe I04 lowers the tread-abutment upon the piston I2. The heeled shoe may now be removed from the jack.

Having described my invention, what I claim is. new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Heel-pressure mechanism comprising movable contact members for engagement with different heel-surf aces, and hydraulic means having elements respectively individual to the members and actingthereon to effect their relative movement. I

2. Heel-pressure mechanism comprising a movable carrier, contact members movable upon the carrier for engagement with diiferent heel-. surfaces, means for retaining the carrier against movement, and means made effective after the retention of the carrier for applying pressure to the contact members. I

3. Heel-pressure mechanism comprising a movable carrier, contact members movable upon the carrier for engagement with different heelsurfaces, means for retaining the carrier against movement, and hydraulic means for applying pressure to the contact members. I

4. Heel-pressure mechanism comprising. I a tread-abutment, a rear abutment, a cylinder and piston connected to each abutment, and hydraulic means for transmitting pressure between the cylinders and pistons of the abutments.

5. Heel-pressure mechanism comprising a tread-abutment, a rear abutment, a cylinder and piston connected to each abutment, such pistons havingdifferent effective areas, and hydraulic means for transmitting pressure between the cylinders and pistons of the abutments.

6. Heel-pressure mechanism comprising a tread-abutment, a rear abutment, a cylinder and piston connected to'each abutment, a conduit joining the cylinders, and means arranged to supply liquid to the cylinders and conduit,

'7. Heel-pressure mechanism comprising a carrier, two cylinders mounted upon the carrier, a piston movable in each cylinder, a heel-contact member carried by each piston, and means for delivering liquid under pressure to the cylinders.

8. Heel-pressure mechanism comprising a movable carrier, two cylinders mounted upon the car rier, a piston movable in each cylinder, a heelcontact member carried by each piston, means for locking the carrier against movement, and means made effective after the locking of the carrier for delivering liquid under pressure to the cylinders.

9. Heel-pressure mechanism comprising a carrier, two cylinders mounted upon the carrier, a piston movable in each cylinder, a heel-contact member carried by each piston, and a pipe joining the cylinders.

ing connected and arranged to contain a body ofliquid between the pistons.

'11. Heel-pressure mechanism comprising a carrier, a cylinder mounted upon the .carrier, a cylinder variable in position upon the carrier, a piston movable in each cylinder, a heel-contact member carried by each piston, and a flexible pipejoining the cylinders.

l2. Heel-pressure mechanism comprising a carrier, two slidesmovable upon the carrier, a cylinder mounted upon one slide, a' cylinder movable upon the other slide, a pipe connecting the cylinders, a piston movable in each cylinder, a heelcontact member carried by each piston, means arranged to move the slides upon the carrier, and means arranged to shift the movablecylinder upon its slide. f i

13, Heel-pressure mechanism comprising a carrier,-two slides movable upon the carrier, a cylinder mounted upon one slide, a cylinder pivoted upon the other slide, a pipe connecting the cylinders, a piston movable in each cylinder, a heelcontact member carried byeach piston, means arranged to move the slides upon the carrier, and means arranged to vary the angle of the pivoted cylinder upon its slide.

e 14. In a fastening-inserting machine, a worksupport, fastening-drivers movable therein, a work-pressing head co-operating with the worksupport, a work-contact member movable in the head, and means connected to the support and head for applying fluid-pressure to the drivers and-to the contact member.

15. In a fastening-inserting machine, a Worksupport, fastening-drivers movable therein, a movable work-pressing head co-operating with the Work-support, means for locking the head against movement, a work-contact member movable in thehead, and means connected to the support and head for applying fluid-pressure to the drivers and to the contact member.

16. In a fastening-inserting machine, aworksupport, fastening-drivers movable therein, a work-pressing head co-operating with the Worksupport, opposite members movable in the worksupport upon one of which members thedrivers are mounted, means for reciprocating the other member, a cylinder and piston relatively movable in the head, a work-contact member movable by said cylinder and piston, and a conduit joining the space between the members in the support to the cylinder. 17. Ina'fastening-inserting machine, a work- 'support, fastening-drivers movable therein, a work-pressing head co-operating with the worksupport, ,a cylinder movable in the support, a piston movable in the cylinder and upon which the drivers are mounted, means for reciprocating the cylinder, a cylinder mounted upon the head, a piston movable in the cylinder, a work-contact member carried by the piston, and a pipe con-' necting the cylinders.

18. In a heel-attaching machine, ajack, a cylinder movable in the jack, a piston movable in the cylinder, drivers reciprocated by the pis-' ton in the jack, means for reciprocating the cylinder, a pressure-head co-operating with the jack, cylinders mounted upon the head, pistons movable in the cylinders, a heel-tread-abutment and a rear abutment carried by the head-pistons, and pipes connecting the jack-cylinder and the head-cylinders.

19. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack, a cylinder movable in the jack, a piston movable in the cylinder, drivers reciprocated by the piston in the jack, means for reciprocating the cylinder,

a pressure-head co-operating with the jack,

cylinders mounted upon the head, pistons mov able in the head-cylinders and having a combined effective area at least as great as that of the jack-piston, a heel-tread-abutment and a rear abutment carried by the head-pistons, and pipes connectingthe jack-cylinder and the head-cylinders.

20. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack, a cylinder movable in the jack, a piston movable in the cylinder, drivers reciprocated by the piston in the jack, means for reciprocating the cylinder, a pressure-head co-operating with the jack, cylinders mounted upon the head, means arranged to move the headcylinders toward and from each other upon the head, means arranged to vary the angle of one of the head-cylinders, pistons movable in the head-cylinders,'a heeltread-abutment and a rear abutment carried by the head-pistons, and pipes connecting the jackcylinder and the head-cylinders.

21. In a heel-attaching machine, a heel-abutment comprising a support, a heel-engaging member pivoted upon in either of opposite directions at all times under the influence of the work, and a spring arranged to hold the heel-engaging member in a normal position and to allow its yield;

22. In a heel-attaching machine, a heel-abut ment comprising a support provided with spaced arms, a yoke trunnioned between the arms for engagement with the rear of a heel, and a spring connecting the yoke to the support.

'23. In a heel-attaching machine, a heel-abutment comprising a support provided with spaced arms, a yoke trunnioned between the arms and having a heel-engaging pad, and a spring connecting the yoke to both arms of the support.

24. In a heel-attaching machine, a pressurehead, a slide movable thereon and having spaced arms, a yoke trunnioned between the arms for engagement with the rear of a heel, and a spring connecting the arms and being under tension, said spring acting at its center upon the yoke.

JOHNT. LANCASTER.

the support and yieldable 

